UPDATE: Chris Christie hospitalized after getting coronavirus

Gov. Chris Christie on Saturday evening checked himself into Morristown Medical Center, saying he was taking precautions because of his coronavirus diagnosis.

Christie announced his positive test result Saturday morning, a day after President Donald Trump was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with COVID-19.

Christie continued to insist that he has only experienced mild symptoms but "due to my history of asthma we decided this is an important precautionary measure."

During his time in office, Christie was hospitalized with asthma in 2011.

It is not clear when Christie, Trump or a growing circle of presidential confidants who have announced their coronavirus diagnosis in recent days contracted the virus.

Attorney General William Barr, right, says goodbye to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and other guests after President Donald Trump introduces 7th U.S. Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett, 48, as his nominee to the Supreme Court in the Rose Garden at the White House September 26, 2020. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Christie on Friday said that none of the half dozen people, including himself, who participated in the president's debate prep at the White House wore masks.

Trump senior advisor Hope Hicks appears to have gotten sick on Wednesday and quarantined on Air Force One following a Trump rally in Minnesota.

North Carolina U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis and Utah U.S. Sen. Mike Lee said Friday that they had tested positive for the virus. Both are on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is taking up the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, and both attended a ceremony for Barrett at the White House on Sept. 25.

Walter Reed doctors on Saturday morning said that Trump's condition was improving but their optimistic assessment was not shared by White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who said Trump’s condition was “very concerning” Friday.

The news conference by the doctors ended up sowing confusion as to when Trump realized he was sick and whether he knew before he traveled to a fundraising event Thursday evening at his golf club in Bedminster.

Trump announced his diagnosis before 1 a.m. Friday on Twitter and checked into Walter Reed on Friday. The public learned Saturday that Trump had been on oxygen at the White House before he was moved to the hospital.

Trump on Friday received Regeneron antibody therapy and has begun a five-day regimen of the antiviral remdesivir.